Norov Bayarjargal, a local herder in the Gobi Desert, stands in front of a makeshift mobile health clinic in Dersene-Us, his native village in the southern tip of Mongolia. Beside him are two yurts and occasional herds grazing the land, but in the distance there is nothing but desert and sky for miles. Norov has just had a consultation with a mobile health team from the sub-provincial health centre, which visits herder communities in their own homes.

The mobile health team screens herders and their families for communicable and non-communicable diseases, signs of cholesterol and sugar in their blood and they offer ultrasounds for women. One month ago, through this service, Norov was diagnosed with gallbladder and kidney problems and was referred to the nearest local (sub-province or soum) health centre, where a specialist gave him the medicines he needed.

“Because of the mobile health screening, I was diagnosed early and received timely treatment. The health professionals advised me to cut down my salt and animal fat intake. I know that health is wealth and that I need to make healthy living choices now, irrespective of financial challenges,” said Norov.

Norov Bayarjargal, a herder of Nomgon soum, Umnugobi Province, received health services from the mHealth initiative. December 2016.

©WHO/Mongolia

With a vast land area, Mongolia faces many challenges in delivering health services to its citizens especially those living in disadvantaged and remote rural areas, including vulnerable and nomadic populations, migrants and unregistered people.

From 2016-2020, the government operated an initiative called: ‘Expanding use of mobile health technology in primary health care towards universal health coverage in Mongolia’ or M-Health. It was supported by WHO, through the UHC Partnership and the Korea Foundation for International Health Care and Community Chest of Korea.

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